Return of an Empire
by MonRan20
Summary: As a new and yet old enemy arrives in Tokyo, a new ally makes himself known. But considering his powers can he really be trusted? And if he can't, will the Senshi be able to defeat the enemy without him?
1. Lessons from the Past

**Excerpt from the History of the Kingdom of Dracos and the Moon Kingdom**

**As written by King Drake of the star-colony of New Dracos, circa 3024 A.D., 15 years after the war against Nemesis**.

Over twelve thousand years ago, our moon was home to a place nown as the Moon Kingdom, ruled by the kind and good Queen Serenity. This was a time of peace and tranquillity among the planets of the universe known as the Silver Millennium. But, almost 200,000 years before the Moon Kingdom even existed, in a solar system far from ours that was apart of the constellation Draco, existed the planet Dracos. On this planet lived a race of powerful shape-shifters. This race, known as the Draconids, lived in peace with the rest of the planets of the Universe.   
Then, 50 years after the Moon Kingdom was created, the peace was shattered as a dark force attacked the planet. This evil power, known as the Chaos Empire (it would later be renamed the Dark Kingdom by Empress Metallia), was lead by the evil Emperor Malus. Only the combined might of my ancestor, King Draga of Dracos, and Prince Serius, the visiting ambassador of the Moon Kingdom, were able to stop Malus. Using their power, they destroyed Malus's body and sealed his spirit inside a clear gemstone, and banished the rest of the Chaos Empire, including Malus's wife and his daughter, Metallia.·   
Many years passed. One day, as Serius, now King of the Moon Kingdom, sat in court, a Sailor Senshi he did not recognize appeared before him. Calling herself Sailor Dracos, she pleaded for the Moon Kingdom's help on behalf of her planet. It seems that, in the 40 years since the defeat of the Chaos Empire, King Draga had died of a strange sickness and his son, Dirk, ruled. Dirk is the complete opposite of his father, for he is cruel and uncaring, a ruler who makes slaves of his own people and grinds them into dust under the iron boot of his misrule. Only the noble Prince Arc, Dirk's own son, and Princess Indra (A.K.A. Sailor Dracos), Arc's sister, dare to stand against him. When Sailor Dracos left her planet, her brother was rallying the people to his standard in the hopes the Moon Kingdom would come to there aid.   
King Serius, horrified at what the son of his old friend had done to his own people, goes before the Council of Allied Worlds to plead the case of the people of Dracos. The Planets of the Sol System, as well as the independent planetary kingdoms Imperious and Xathan, pledged to unit their armies behind Serius against King Dirk. The other planets either pledged to contribute needed resources and supplies, or they declared their neutrality in the war.   
The Lunar Alliance invaded the planet Dracos and found that Prince Arc and his rebellion were under attack from the armies of planet Dracos. The military, sworn to obey the wearer of the Ring of Dracos, were forced to fight against the prince and his allies. With King Serius and his armies behind them, the rebels easily routed the armies of King Dirk and moved on to the Royal Palace. When they arrived at the gates to the Palace, a horrible sight awaited them.   
King Dirk stood before them and he wore on his brow a clear,green crystal with the symbol of the royal house of Dracos etched on it, the Prison of Malus. Malus, while trapped within the crystal, still had great power, and had used it to possess the mind of King Dirk. Channeling his power through Dirk, Malus had opened a warphole to the Chaos Empire, allowing a horde of Youma to come through at there master's bidding.   
Once again a battle ensued. During the battle, King Serius and Prince Arc fought against Dirk-Malus. During this battle, Prince Arc called upon the power that had been granted to him by a mysterious Senshi (hint, hint Sailor Pluto) shortly before the arrival of the Lunar Alliance to create the Sword of Time-Space. King Serius and Prince Ark were both badly wounded during the battle but, in the end, King Dirk was slain and Malus once again contained within his prison.   
But the battle was far from over. General Onus, Malus's brother, took command of the Chaos Empire army and renewed the assault on the Lunar Alliance with a vengeance. It appeared that all would be lost when help arrived from an unexpected quarter. A soldier from the armies of Imperious and two more soldiers from the armies of Xathan transformed into Youma. With there combined might they closed the warphole and struck down Onus, banishing him and the other Youma back to the Chaos Empire.   
These Youma, known as the three Shadow Lords, had been sent intoour Universe to spy on it's peoples. But during that time, they had lost their hatred ofour Universe, and decided to help defend it. Though few amongst the Lunar Alliance trusted them, the Shadow Lords were the guests of honor at Prince Arc's ring giving ceremony. As the Ring of Dracos was placed on Arc's finger, he was declared king of the planet Dracos.   
Many years passed. The day came when Serenity, King Serius's granddaughter, was born. As he held her in his arms, a vision came to him of the future: of a Moon Kingdom in ruins and of a crystalline city. With these visions in mind, he began to prepare for the day when he would be gone. Using his powers, he created the Crescent Moon Wand, as well many other weapons. Keeping the Crescent Moon Wand as a visual sign of his family's rule, he hid the other weapons away where the only ones who could find them would be those who knew where to look.   
At the end of his days, King Serius once again received a plea for help from the planet Dracos. A powerful Dark Mage had stirred a rebellion against King Arc and his sons, Prince Seth and Prince Ashen. The Dark Mage was so powerful, that not even the combined might of the Ring of Dracos, the Sword of Time-Space, and the Prison of Malus could stop him. Once again, King Serius pleaded on behalf of the people of Dracos. This time however, only the planets of the Sol System and the three Shadow Lords agreed to help. All others declared neutrality in the situation.   
In the end, however, help came too late for the draconids. In a destructive battle, the Dark Mage was revealed to be none other than Prince Seth himself. Now calling himself King Set, he had forged a deal with the Empress of the Chaos Empire in exchange for incredible power. King Arc and Prince Ashen fought King Set to a standstill but, seeing victory slipping from his grasp, Set cast a spell that shrouded the planet in darkness. As he completed the spell, Arc, mortally wounded, destroyed King Set.   
But Set was so powerful, his spirit could not be destroyed nor contained. Through his last unholy spell, he was able to become the soul of the planet itself. The planet turned against the draconid people. Many died. The armies of the Sol System arrived, but by then it was too late. All they could do was rescue the remaining draconids, including Ashen and the dying Arc. Afterwards, the planet was renamed Nemesis and would be declared off limits. It would remain that way for centuries, until the people that would become known as the Nega-Moon were exiled from Earth   
Before he died, Arc gave the Sword of Time-Space and the Ring of Dracos to Ashen. With the last of his energy, Arc bound the Prison of Malus, now known as the powerful Dragon Gem, within his son, knowing that as long as honor and a strong will existed within Ashen's line, Malus would never be free, as the gem would be past from father to eldest son. Then, his energy spent, the noble king was at last at peace.   
Arc was laid to rest in a beautiful tomb in the Moon Kingdom called the Tomb of Dracos, a place dedicated to the people of Dracos who had been sacrificed on the altar of ambition and war. Prince Darius of Earth, on behalf of his father, declared that lands on Earth had been set aside as a haven for any draconid refugees that chose to come. Most of the draconids left the Moon Kingdom for Earth including Ashen's youngest son Aaron. His eldest son, Eldos, heir to his father's power, decided to stay in the Moon Kingdom with his Father. --The day after his father's funeral, Prince Ashen was walking in the Royal Garden with King Serius when a Sailor Scout appeared before them. Calling herself Sailor Pluto, she told them that due to certain events doomed to occur in the future, she must deactivate the time and dimension traveling properties of the Space-Time Sword for the awile. That while would last over a thousand years.   
Prince Ashen, in thanks to the Moon Kingdom for there support of the planet Dracos and to Earth for taking care of his people, created three incredibly powerful gems: the Lunar Gem to be a treasure of the Moon Kingdom, the Rose Gem to be a treasure of Earth, and the radiant Phoenix Gem, with the ability to recreate life from a beings remains, to show the unity of the two kingdoms. This artifacts, as powerful as the Dragon Gem, were given into the keeping of the three Shadow Lords to protect them from the power hungry, be they human, lunarian, or draconid. Also, to show the unity between the now united peoples, King Serius awarded the rank of Lunar Knight to Prince Ashen and his son, Eldos. Prince Ashen, now known as the Gold Dragon Knight, became the head of the knight's council and the personal bodyguard to the King, and his son Eldos, the Silver Dragon Knight, became the personal body guard for Princess Serenity.   
Two years passed. King Serius, grown sick with age, was now bed ridden. A mysterious man assassinated King Serius's son and daughter-in-law three months ago, and still no one knows who he was. His granddaughter, Princess Serenity, had recently been engaged and she and her betrothed were the heirs to the throne of the moon. As Serius lies on his deathbed, his granddaughter begins to cry as his grandson, Christopher looks on. As her tears fall, the king speaks.   
"My dear granddaughter," he whispers, "do not cry. For though I will be gone, know that under your rule the Moon Kingdom will rise to hights it has never known before. "Alas," here he falls silent for a few seconds, "though you will be the greatest queen the moon has ever known, you will also be the last. "But," at her startled gasp and his grandson's incredulous look, "fear not, for though the Moon Kingdom will be gone, the moon's legacy will live on in your daughter." "Remember," here he begins to gasp as he feels his spirit begin to leave him," no matter what happens your daughter must survive. And...no one but you must know what I have told you. For the future to occur as I have seen it no one...must... know..." Then the king breathed his last.   
As Serenity's tears renewed, she seemed to see King Serius's spirit, as he looked when he first fought Malus, kneeling before her. He smiled and touched her wet cheek. And she heard in her mind, "A parting gift, little one. Remember it when all hope is lost." As he stands, she feels something fall into her lap. "And," he adds with sorrowful smile, " know that we will meet again." With those last words he vanished. Serenity looked at what had fallen in her lap and saw that one of her tears had been transformed into a ball of crystalline silver.   
And so, with the death of the noble King Serius and the coronation of Queen Serenity and her marriage to her husband, began the age that would be known as the Silver Millennium, named after King Serius's gift to Queen Serenity, the Imperium Silver Crystalline. All members of the Moon Kingdom, including Prince Eldos, who now represented the draconids of the moon on behalf of his father, swore their loyalty to her. Prince Ashen decided to retire as head of the Knight's Council in favor of the Queen's brother, Christopher, otherwise known as Lord Predator, though he was still the Royal Family's most trusted military advisor. The Shadow Lords came to her and renewed their vows to defend the Celestial Gems from all comers. The Council of Allied Worlds, in honor of Serius, the council's greatest defender, was renamed. It became known as the Grand Senate of the Silver Imperium.   
Serenity later had a daughter, which was named after the queen. Remembering, her grandfather's predictions, Queen Serenity called forth the Sailor Senshi of the Inner Planets and asked them to become members of the Princess's court but even more, to swear to defend the princess no matter what happened. The four princesses readily agreed. She also asked Prince Eldos to help guard the princess whenever his other duties allowed, to which he agreed.   
By this time Prince Darius was now a king of Earth with a son of his own. This son, Prince Darien, came to the Moon Kingdom on behalf of his father as ambassador of Earth. As the court gathered one day for a grand ball, Prince Eldos was in the Cygnus Sector with the third Imperium Starfleet, searching for a new homeworld for his people. Little did he or the royal court of the moon know the great tragedy that was about to fall... End of excerpt


	2. Friend or Foe

**Sailor Moon Story #1**

Return of an Empire, Pt.1 Friend or Foe 

(This takes place shortly after Sailor Moon R, Pt. 1: The Doom Tree Series)

_Today on Sailor Moon, an Empire thought to be destroyed makes a come back under a new leader. He's hunting a renegade ninja with a powerful weapon. Is the ninja our friend or our enemy? Find out in Part one of Return of an Empire, Friend or Foe._

Once again, it was a typical day at Crossroads Junior High. Meaning that once again, Ms. Haruna had called role, and Serena had not shown up. "What am I going to do with that girl," she muttered. She suddenly heard a loud crash, followed by a rolling sound. She opened the door to investigate and saw a screaming Serena struggling to remain aboard a rolling trash can, both of which were heading her way!

She quickly stepped out of their path as the doorframe halted the can. Serena, catapulted into the room, proceeded to skid across the top of Ms. H's desk, sending pens and paper everywhere, and landing with a loud "Oomph!" Silence fills the room as a sweatdrop rolls down everyone's forehead. Then...

"SERENAAAAAAA!!", screams Ms. Haruna, who marches up to Serena, grabs her by the ear, and drags her into the hallway. "Everyone study the first page of chapter 10," Ms. Haruna shouts as she slams the door behind her.

Meanwhile, in Earth's northern latitudes...

A dark shape sits on the throne that once belonged to Queen Beryl. A man in leather armor walks up and kneels before the figure. "My lord," the man said, "the palace has been secured. None of the traitor Beryl's minions can be found. They apparently abandoned the area shortly after Beryl's defeat."

"I see," said the dark shape on the throne. The man on the throne leaned forward, allowing the limited light to reveal the features of his face. He had salt and pepper hair, a hawk-like nose set in a square cut face, and eyes as cold and hard as ice. He wore the uniform of a Dark Kingdom general, and the cape and epaulets of a supreme general. He also wore, on the left breast of his uniform, a many-pointed star made of black diamond. This not only marked him as High Supreme General of the Negaverse, but also as a member of the Royal Family.

"It is right that they feared my coming," said the general, pleased with himself. The kneeling man hesitated, then said, "I do not believe they fled from you, Lord Onus." Onus's eyes narrowed. "How did you reach this conclusion, Hunter?"

Hunter cleared his throat and replied, "According to what my people can find, Beryl's lackeys fled before they could have gotten word of your immanent arrival. We also found the remains of several monsters in the palace." Here, Hunter seemed to become uneasy. "We believe we know what was used to destroy those monsters." Onus, his curiosity piqued by Hunter's discomfort, asked, "What was it?" "It was the Sword of Shadows, Sire."

At this, Onus became agitated, getting up from the throne and walking toward the center of the cavernous throne room. "The Shadow Sword," murmurs the dark tyrant to himself, "After all these years of searching, it finally resurfaces on Earth." He turns toward the still kneeling Hunter. "Gather your people and set your best trackers to finding the Shadow Sword. When you have something, send word to our new base in the Western Hemisphere. You will receive further orders then." "Yes, my liege," said Hunter. And with his minion's acknowledgement, Onus vanished.

Back in Tokyo, several ours later...

Rei had called a meeting at the temple and all the scouts were there... minus one. Once again, Serena was late. "I don't believe this," yelled a frustrated Rei. "She's always late to every meeting! She's never been on time for anything in her life!"

Ami lifted her nose from the book she was reading. "Come on Rei, I'm sure she has a good reason for it this time." "She does," said a voice. The scouts turned as one as the Guardian Cats Luna and Artemis walked into the room. "Sorry we're late, guys," said Artemis. "We stopped by Serena's class to see if she could get out of detention."

"Serena's in detention, **_again_**," asked Lita. "This time it isn't her fault," said Luna. "Ms. Haruna just refused to believe her when she said the power went out on our street." "We might as well start the meeting and fill Serena in later," said Mina. Ami turned back to Rei. "Why did you call the meeting, Rei," she asked.

Rei looked grim. "I saw something in the fire. We can expect a lot of trouble in the next few months." She looked at Luna and Artemis. "I sensed that a lot of evils are about to be released. Two of them are more powerful than any we have ever faced." "**WHAT**," exclaimed the rest of the Scouts. "Even more powerful than Metallia," asked Mina. "Yeah," said Rei. "Then we had better be prepared," said Luna.

Meanwhile, at Crossroads Junior High...

A dark shape reclines on the third story ledge of the school. Staring into a window, he sees a woman with reddish brown hair sitting at the teacher's desk. He also saw a blonde haired girl with a pair of odangos (meatballs) on her head.

The shape, now identifiable as a ninja, turns to look out across the city to the horizon. _That was close_, he thought as he relaxed in the rays of the setting sun. _I am GLAD that I got out of Beryl's palace before Onus and his lackeys found me_. He closed his eyes, and laid his head against the wall. _From what I could get from Malachite's personal files, when Prince Darien was captured, he had been attempting to protect that yellow haired girl. She's also friends with that red haired girl Nephlyte was so fond of_.

The ninja opened his eyes. _If I watch this girl long enough, I'll be able to find Darien. And where 'Tuxedo Mask' is, the scouts won't be far behind_. A dog barking below him interrupted the ninja's thoughts. The ninja carefully looked over the ledge and saw a shorthaired, black and brown dog with only a nub for a tail. _Looks like a Doberman_, he thought absently. Then he noticed the Doberman's blood-red eyes looking directly at him!

The ninja leapt to his feet(no small accomplishment, considering he's three stories up on a ledge a foot and a half wide). _That's no Doberman_, he thought wildly as it transformed into a half-man, half-dog creature. _That's a Bounty Man!_

Serena heard a high-pitched yelp from one of the windows behind her. She turned around just in time to see the Bounty Man come flying through the window in a shower of glass. Serena jumped back and screamed. "Monster," gasped Ms. Haruna, who then proceeded to faint. "Oh no, Ms. Haruna," said a frightened Serena. She was absolutely speechless with terror when she turned around and saw the Bounty Man pick itself off the floor and leap toward her, jaws agape.

Suddenly, the ninja slammed into the monster with flying leap kick, causing it to alter it's flight pathand crash into the desks behind Serena. The ninja grabbed Serena and leapt to where Ms. Haruna lay. Putting her and Serena in a double fireman's carry, he leapt out the window to a nearby tree. He leapt from tree to tree until he found the one he wanted.

"Grab the branch above you," he told Serena. After she had used the branch to lower herself into a large nook of the tree, the ninja put Ms. Haruna with Serena. "Who are you," asked Serena. "The name's Drake," said the ninja. "You should be safe here while I get rid of that Bounty Man." He turns to go back to the school...and stops. There in the tree he had been about to jump into was the Bounty Man. And as Drake and Serena watched, the Bounty Man began to howl.

The howl reached out across the city of Tokyo. At his apartment, Darien, otherwise known as Tuxedo Mask, spun around and ran for the window, knowing in his heart that Serena was in danger. At the temple, Rei, Luna, and Artemis jumped up and ran for the door, leaving Lita, Ami, and Mina to scramble after them. And at the top of the Tokyo Tower, a member of Hunter's elite Bounty Team stood with two Bounty Men, listening to the howl and the message that lay within. The bearer of the Shadow Sword had at last been found.

"Damn," cursed Drake. "That'll bring the other members of the pack for sure!" "Pack," asked Serena worriedly. Drake kept his eyes on the motionless Bounty Man. "Bounty Man monsters usually hunt in pack of three to eight, with someone acting as a handler for them." Drake drew his sword. "I better take care of this one before the other ones arrive," said Drake. "I just hope the Sailor Scouts arrive soon," he murmurs to himself.

_They may get here faster than you think_, thought Serena. Suddenly, the beeper for Serena's communicator went off. As if it were a prearranged signal, the Bounty Man and Drake leapt at each other. While in midair, the monster let loose with a black energy bolt. Drake managed to deflect it with his sword, but now the sword was no longer in position for a slashing attack. Using the techniques he learned while working for Malachite and Beryl, Drake created a ball of negative energy in his off-hand. Clenching his fist caused it to be surrounded by the energy. As he and the creature came together, Drake let loose with a vicious backhand that sent the Bounty Man flying in the opposite direction.

As Drake pursued the monster through the trees, Serena was speaking with the other scouts via her communicator. "Serena, are you okay," asked a worried Rei. "NO," hissed Serena. "This big dog monster tried to clobber me! If it weren't for Drake, I'd be a goner." "Who," everyone asked at once. "I don't _know_, some guy dressed like a ninja who really knows how to fight. Just get here quick, cause Drake says their are more of them on the way."

She quickly turned off her communicator. "He's gonna need my help," she said as she reached for her Moon Crystal Compact. Thrusting it into the air, she cried out, "Moon Crystal, POWER!!" In a swirl of light, ribbons and feathers, Serena transformed into Sailor Moon.

While Serena transformed, Drake was searching for the Bounty Man. Suddenly, Drake blurred and vanished as the monster slashed at where Drake once was. The monster looked around, but did not see Drake anywhere. "Ahem," the monster heard. It came from behind him.!

The monster spun around, fully expecting to see Drake behind him. What he did not expect to see, was Drake standing _upside down on the underside of the branch above them with his face two inches from the creatures nose!!_

The Bounty Man quickly backpedaled away. He froze as a loud crack was heard. Drake flipped down to the branch the Bounty Man was on. Another, louder crack was heard as the portion of the branch the dog-monster was on lowered a little bit. The dog gave Drake a mournful gaze and whined. "It won't do you any good to beg," Drake said. He stabbed at the break in the wood with his sword and twisted. With a loud yelp, the Bounty Man fell as the branch snapped.

Drake leaped down from the branch. "Your history," shouted Drake. As the Bounty Man slowly rose to it's feet, Drake reversed his sword. "Shadow Slash!!" Drake ran toward the Bounty Man, moving so fast that after images appeared. The hound had only enough time to let loose one last whimper before the sword sliced through it's center. Within a few seconds only dust remained.

"And that takes care of that," Drake said, sheathing his sword with a flourish. He suddenly heard a crack above him and high-pitched wail. He looked up...just in time to see Sailor Moon land on top of him. Drake groaned. "Ooh, sorry," said Sailor Moon, getting off her rescuer. She helped him to stand then stepped back. "Did you come here to help," asked Drake, "Or did you just decide to drop in on a whim?" Sailor Moon sweat dropped at that. "Anyway, where are the other scouts? We're gonna need their help." "They're on the way," said Sailor Moon. "That's a relief," he said, grimacing.

"Your gonna need all the help you can get," a voice echoed. Drake and Sailor Moon looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of who spoke. Then Drake saw them. Their two pairs of red eyes gleaming, the two Bounty Men, already in their monster form, emerged from the shadows of the trees. Their handler must be around here somewhere, he thought. "Bounty Men, take them," the voice shouted. The two Bounty Men charged toward Drake and Sailor Moon. Drake drew his sword and Sailor Moon braced herself. Suddenly a rose slashed through the night air to land in front of the Bounty Men. Drake, Sailor Moon, and the Bounty Men looked in the direction it came from.

"Why don't you and your hounds hunt different prey," shouted Tuxedo Mask as he threw five more roses. These five disappeared into the night, only to reappear as they released a blinding white light from their petals. As the darkness vanished, the handler of the Bounty Men was revealed. He looked like a human man, with deeply tanned skin, long blonde hair to his shoulders, tall and lithe. He held a hand axe in his hand.

"Tracker," muttered Drake. "Well, Drake," said Tracker, "you're the bearer of the Shadow Sword." "What of it?" "Lord Onus wants it." Drake's eyes narrowed. "Well, I'm afraid he can't have it." Tracker smiled. "Then _I_ am afraid you must perish, Bounty Men, _ATTACK_!!"

With a snarl, the two monsters leapt forward. One attacked Sailor Moon. As she dodged out of the way, Tuxedo Mask slammed his cane across it's throat, sending it to the ground choking. The other attacked Drake. Evading it's downward slash, Drake kneed it in the stomach, then slammed the hilt of his sword on the back of it's head, stunning it and putting it on all fours. He reversed the sword and was about to stab it into the creature's back, when a bolt of dark energy sent by Tracker struck him, sending him flying.

"If you want to do something right," Tracker said, "then you've got to do it yourself!" And with that he leapt at Drake, blade gleaming.

End of Pt. 1

Sailor Moon Says:

Serena: Becareful around stray dogs and cats. Many of them could be sick or just plain mean, making them dangerous.

Ami: If a stray animal should bite you, call 911 right away. Some animals can be sick with diseases like rabies, which can make _you_ sick.

Lita: Even if the stray looks friendly, don't go near it. A sick animal could change moods at a moment's notice.

Serena: So be safe, stay away from strays. Sailor Moon Says.

Luna: Now that's advice I agree with!


	3. Ambush!

_Hello, Sailor Fans. In today's episode of Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask gets badly wounded and Tracker leads Drake into an ambush set by a new enemy. Can the Scouts get Drake out of this mess? Find out in Part Two of Return of the Negaverse, Ambush!!_

"If you want to do something right," Tracker said, "then you've got to do it yourself!" And with that he leapt at Drake, blade gleaming. Drake got his sword up in time to block the ax. Pushing Tracker away, Drake stumbled to his feet. The two faced each other, both now ready to fight. Meanwhile, the Bounty Man Drake had stunned regained it's senses and attacked Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask.

As the three fought, Drake and Tracker were absolutely motionless. Then they rushed forward, and both dodged to different sides, striking at where they had been expecting their opponent to be. They both slid to a stop, then turned and rushed back at each other. This time, they both turned to the same side, racing side by side about six feet apart till they reached a clearing. They then skidded to a stop and leapt at each other. Sparks flew as their blades met in mid air.

While Drake and Tracker dueled, the second Bounty Man had now joined the first in fighting Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. Sailor Moon dodged the first ones claws, cracking it on the head with her Scepter. The second tried to attack her from behind, but Tuxedo Mask imbedded a rose in it's hand. Suddenly, the one hit by Sailor Moon's Scepter struck her with a backhand, sending her flying back into a tree. Tuxedo Mask tried to reach Sailor Moon, but the second Bounty Man got him in a powerful bear hug. A loud crunch was heard, and Tuxedo Mask screamed as two of his ribs gave way.

"Mars Fire, IGNITE!!" A fireball struck the Bounty Man holding Tuxedo Mask, causing him to let go of Darien as the monster became airborne. "Jupiter Thunder, CRASH!!" Jagged bolts of lightening slammed into the other Bounty Man, hurling him away from Sailor Moon. The rest of the scouts had finally arrived.

The scouts formed a protective circle around their two friends, facing outward toward the Bounty Men. "Let's finish 'em off," shouted an enraged Venus. "Venus Crescent Meteor, SWARM!!" Streams of energy suddenly cascaded down from the sky, causing the Bounty Men to yowl in pain. "Time to take out the trash," said Sailor Moon as she picked herself up off the ground. "Moon Scepter-" "Wait," Mars cried out. Everyone turned toward her. "What's wrong," asked Ami. Rei turned toward the Bounty Man. "There's something about them, something isn't right." "Well, you better figure out what it is fast," said Lita, "'cause they're getting ready to attack again!!" It was true. The Bounty Men had almost struggled back to their feet from Sailor Venus's devastating attack.

Sailor Mars brought out one of her Anti-Evil Charms. "I call upon the power of Mars, Fireballs CHARGE!!" She threw the Charm at the two Bounty Men. The Charm suddenly became two Charms, each striking a Bounty Man in the chest, right above their hearts. Once again the creatures cried out in agony. Streams of Dark Energy began to flow out of the Charms. The Bounty Men glowed a brilliant white. The white glow vanished and all that was left of the Bounty Men were two Doberman puppies.

Sailor Moon knelt next to Tuxedo Mask. "Darien are you alright?" "Sure, Meatball Head," he said with a smile as he reverted to normal and tried to get up. Her face filled with fear when he suddenly grimaced in pain and fell to the ground. A thin trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. "Darien, don't try to get up," she said. "Mercury, what's wrong with him?" Mercury activated her visor. "From what I can tell, one of his lungs might have been punctured by a rib."

The sound of sirens filled the air. "Sounds like the police are on their way," said Lita. "Serena," said Darien, "You've got to help…" Darien fell into unconsciousness. Venus transformed back into her civilian clothes. "Go find our new friend. I'll stay with Darien till the police arrive, then join you," said Mina. "But-" "Come on Serena, he'll be okay," said Mercury. They quickly ran off. With one last glance at Darien, Serena followed.

As the Sailor Scouts left Darien and Mina, Drake and Tracker were still battling. Their duel had been carried to the roof tops of the city. "Shadow Slash," shouted Drake, racing toward Tracker. Tracker dodged out of the way, running for the edge of the roof. He leapt to the next one over and kept running. "Tracker, get back here," Drake yelled in anger. He gave chase.

Several rooftops away, Tracker stopped on top of an abandoned building and turned. As Drake leapt to that rooftop, Tracker grinned. This caused Drake to pause. Why is he grinning like that, thought Drake. That's when Drake realized that the rooftop was completely open. There was no where to hide in case of an… "Ambush," Drake hissed. He spun, sword swinging outward tosplit the incoming arrow in half.

He ran, dodging the arrows that began to rain down around him. He leapt to the next roof top, where there was more shelter. Drake grimaced as an arrow dug a furrow down his back. Finding a locked stairwell door, he kicked it down and leapt inside, the arrows following him a few feet inward before he was beyond their reach. He leaned against the wall panting. His breath caught when he realized that the arrows were beginning to glow. He ran down the stairs two, then three at a time as the arrows glowed brighter and brighter.

The arrows detonated, sending a gigantic fireball hurling down the stairwell. Drake leapt over the railing, dropping down the last two levels to the ground floor. He slammed open the door and fled down the hallway as the fireball struck the ground floor, sending a wall of flames after Drake. He rammed into the closed door at the end of the hall, emerging into an alleyway. He ran down the alleyway and into a nearby street as the flames spewed out of the door frame.

"Halt!" Drake froze and slowly turned around. Behind him stood a woman. She had long dark hair to her waist in a braid, and wore a furry brown leather skirt and halter. A quiver of arrows was strapped to her back and she had a bow in her hand, an arrow knocked and pointed directly at him. She also had a hunting knife strapped to her belt. "Hello, Archeress," said Drake as he turned, slowly.

"Good to see you again, Drake," she said. "Hand over the Sword of Shadows, I really don't want to have to hurt you." "Direct as usual," Drake chuckled. Then all humor on his face vanished. "I swore when I joinedthe Dark Kingdomthat I would never let my family's sword fall into the wrong hands. I plan on keeping that vow." Archeress's shoulders drooped a little.

"You seem a little disappointed, Archeress," came a mocking voice. "Tracker, get out here," Archeress hissed. Tracker appeared behind Drake. "Nowhere to run, Drake," said Tracker. "Surrender the sword, and you might just live." "Or you can join back up with us," said Archeress eagerly, "Become Assassin again."

Drake face hardened. "Never mention that time in my life again," he said quietly, coldly. A small hint of fear appeared in Tracker's eyes, and Archeress started.In that instant, he had sounded like his old self, like Assassin, the Bounty Team's living weapon.

Archeress's jaw set. "I'm sorry, Drake," she whispered as she drew back her bow. "I'm sorry, too," Drake murmured, his ears having caught her words.

"Mercury Ice Bubbles, FREEZE!!" A wash of icy fog enveloped the area, blinding both Tracker and Archeress.When it cleared, Drake had vanished. "He got away," yelled Tracker in rage.

"Getting away wasn't what I had in mind," Drake said from above them. Tracker and Archeress looked and saw outlined against the sky Drake and the Sailor Scouts. "You people decided to hunt Drake and didn't care what would happen to innocent bystanders, and that cannot be allowed," said Sailor Moon. "So in the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!!" Drake blinked. "Do you always do that?" "Yes," intoned the Scouts, as Sailor Moonblushed slightly.

Mars decided to let her intentions be known with actions instead of words as she took out one of her Charms. "I call on the power of Mars, Fireballs CHARGE!!" She threw the Charm at Archeress and Tracker. Before it reached them, however, she spun around and brought her forefingers together. A spiral of flame appeared before her. "Mars Firebird, STRIKE!!" The whirl of fire became a ball of flame that quickly overtook the Charm. The power of the Charm as the flame consumed it transformed the fire, creating Sailor Mars's servant, the Firebird.

With a screech, the Firebird dived toward the two villains. Tracker ran in terror but Archeress stood absolutely still, taking aim with her bow, a single arrow knocked to it. When their was no chance of it dodging, she released the arrow. The glowing arrow slashed through the Firebird's head, disrupting it's essence and taking it's energy. As the Firebird vanished, the arrow became wreathed in flame as it flew toward Drake and the Scouts. "Everybody, down on the street, NOW," Drake yelled. Everyone leapt from the roof top just as the arrow reached where they had been. The arrow exploded, sending them hurtling out of control.

Drake slowly picked himself up from the ground. "Everybody all right?" With groans from all assembled, the scouts made their way back to their feet. "You girls are alot stronger than you look," said Archeress. "Tracker, you still here?" Tracker's head appeared inside a storm drain. "Yeah." A look of disgust crossed Archeress's face. "GET out of there," she commanded. He quickly slithered out of the sewer. Archeress wrinkled her noise at the miasma that clung to Tracker's leathers. "Let's leave the scouts a playmate while we get the sword from Drake," said Archeress.

The two villains raised their arms. "By the elements that fall under our Aegis," they intoned, "we call upon a creature to come forth and destroy our enemies. Pyrectro, we summon you to do our bidding!" Suddenly the night sky darkened further. Lightening cracked across the sky. At the same time a deep rumble could be both heard and felt coming from the ground.

Suddenly the ground cracked open, fire fountaining outward. Lightening shot downward from the angry sky, the two elements meeting each other in the middle. A ball of energy appeared where the two met, slowly settling to the ground as the sky cleared and the rumbling ceased. The energy ball vanished, revealing a monster made of both fire and lightening.

"Pyrectro, destroy the Sailor Scouts," said Archeress. She drew her long knife. "Leave Drake to me and Tracker." "Yes, Mistress," the monster crackled. It raised it's hands above it's head and a ball of electricity and fire appeared, shooting toward the Sailor Scouts! "Watch it," shouted Lita as she tackled Sailor Mercury to the ground. The energy ball flew over the two and slammed into a building, exploding. "Scouts, take to the rooftops. I'll join you as soon as I can," shouted Drake, never taking his eyes off his former colleagues. "You can't face them alone," said Sailor Mercury.

Drake paused and looked at Mercury. "It's the only way, honor demands it," he said quietly. Mercury looked into his eyes and saw something. She felt a strange pain in her chest. "Come back, okay?" His eyes softened. "Don't worry, I'll becareful." With one last, puzzled glance back, Sailor Mercury joined the rest of the scouts and leapt away.

Drake turned back toward the two Bounty Team members. Archeress was looking at Mercury's retreating form, on her face an expression of…sorrow? "Your letting them get away," snapped Tracker at Pyrectro. With a roar, Pyrectro leapt after the Sailor Scouts.

"I actually feel sorry for her," Archeress said. Drake looked at Archeress. "You just had a vision, didn't you," he asked. "Yes," she replied. She gave herself a shake. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that we get the Sword for Onus. Drake, get ready." They all stood still.

Tracker was the first to move as he leapt at Drake, axe coming around in a side cut. Drake rolled under the swing, coming out of the roll on to one knee as he blocked a downward slash from Archeress. Rolling backwards, he grabbed Archeresses halter with one hand and placed a foot in her stomach, throwing her over his head and into Tracker. This gave Drake enough time to stand.

Meanwhile, on the rooftops of Tokyo…

With balls of electricity and fire raining around them, the Sailor Scouts were running for their lives. Serena tripped, nearly going over a ledge! Jupiter quickly pulled her to safety. "We can't keep running, we got to fight back," Jupiter shouted. Suddenly, Pyrectro was on the roof with them, launching a ball of lightening-fire at Serena and Jupiter! "Watch it," shouted Serena as she pushed Jupiter to down and covered her. The ball slammed into the neighboring rooftop, sending debris flying all over the place. Serena and Lita looked up, only to see Pyrectro above them, one giant hand ready to smash down on them.

"Venus Crescent Beam, SMASH!!" A beam of gold energy shot straight through Pyrectro's hand. The monster screeched in pain, giving Sailor Moon and Sailor Jupiter the chance to escape. As Serena and Lita leaped to the next rooftop, Venus, Mars, and Mercury joined them. "We've got to stop this creep! People could have been killed from that last blast," said Mercury. "I can sense that this guy's too strong for us," said Mars, shaking her head. "Then we have to keep moving till Drake can catch up with us,"Venus replied.

Pyrectro slammed down onto the rooftop behind them. "Let's go," shouted Sailor Moon. As they jumped over to the next roof, a thought came unbidden to her mind. _Where is Drake?_

End of Part 2

Sailor Moon Says:

Serena: Video Games can be fun, but be careful. Sometimes the electricity that powers the game can hurt you.

Ami: Be sure that when you are going to use any sort of appliance, that it does not have frayed or exposed wiring.

Rei: Frayed wiring can short out, blackening out whole neighborhoods, and even starting fires!

Mina: And make sure to keep an eye on cooking appliances like toasters. If left unattended, they could start fires, too.

Serena: Becareful when around electricity and you'll be able to play safe. Sailor Moon Says!


	4. Fight for Life

_Today on Sailor Moon, the Scouts and I are running for our lives from the Nega-monster, Pyrectro, and Drake is fighting for his life against Tracker and Archeress. Can Drake defeat them and get to us in time to help? Find out in Part three of Return of the Negaverse, Fight for life!_

It's a quiet night in Tokyo. The full moon shines over head as five shadowy forms race across a rooftop. Suddenly, the five runners are hurled to their feet by an explosion from behind them! In the light of the explosion are revealed the Sailor Scouts. Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Venus, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mars, quickly rise to their feet and look behind them.

There, standing behind them was a monster made of fire and electricity. "So," the monster crackled, "finally caught up to you." "Your gonna be sorry you did," shouted Venus. "Venus Crescent Beam, SMASH!" A beam of energy blasted out of her finger as she pointed at the monster known as Pyrectro. It managed to dodge the beam by splitting itself into two parts! "Why don't you try this one...or should I say two," cried the divided monster. "Jupiter Thunder Dragon! Mars Fire Ignite!" It proceeded to duplicate Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter's attacks!

As the Scouts were fighting for their lives, another battle was taking place several blocks away. Drake, cut, bruised, and bleeding, had barely managed to hold off Tracker and Archeress for the last ten minutes. At the moment he had lost Archeress and Tracker, but he knew that wouldn't be for long.I need to find someplace to hide, he thought, breathing heavily. Finding an open door to a warehouse he recognized, he stumbled inside. Archeress watched from a nearby rooftop as Drake disappeared inside. Tracker, I found him, she 'pathed to him.

Tracker, on the other side of the Warehouse, asked, Where is he? Inside the warehouse, she replied. Tracker found an open window and entered. Inside, boxes and crates piled five to twenty layers high turned the inside of the warehouse into a maze of passages. Looking up, Tracker spotted several catwalks. Archeress, see if you can get to those catwalks. There should be an access from the roof.

Archeress quickly moved to the roof of the warehouse. Finding a boxlike structure which contained a stairwell, she entered the building. Going down she came to a door, which when opened, led into an office. Looking around, she spotted another door that lead to the catwalks and a metal stairwell. She went out onto the catwalk. I'm here, Tracker.

I know, I can see you, 'pathed Tracker as he studied her from behind a pile of crates. Do you see him anywhere? No, I don- She stopped. Hold on, I see him. She saw Drake near a massive cargo container in the center of the Wharehouse. She watched as he slipped into a maintenance door on the container. Head toward the center of the warehouse. I'll join you there.

As she turned around on the catwalk to head back toward the metal stairs, something inside the office caught her eye. With a quick glance back at the container and Tracker, she went inside. Her eyes widened at what she saw. There, hanging on the wall, was a picture of Drake in his civilian form, standing side by side with Maxfield Stanton, better known as Nephlyte!! Tracker, she 'pathed desperately, This warehouse, it belongs to Stanton Industries!!

With a roar, a silvery Nissan Wraith burst out of the container. Tires screeching, it raced down the passage created by crates and pallets of boxes, and burst through the main ware house doors, leaving what was left of the doors hanging on their hinges. Archeress and Tracker looked across the warehouse at each other, with one thought on their minds. Hunter isn't going to like this…

"Catch her!" The Scouts, knocked off the roof by Pyro and Electro's attacks, were in free fall. And Sailor Jupiter was knocked unconscious!! One of Mars's feet landed on the railing of a fire escape, from which she immediately kicked off, sending her into Jupiter and allowing Mars to catch her. The rest of the scouts landed on their feet, Venus, who had been hurt in the attack, immediately falling to her knees.

Sailor Moon turned to Mercury. "Is there some way to beat these creeps?" "Let me check." She activated her visor as Pyro and Electro landed heavily on the street. "If we can get the two of them back together as Pyrectro, I may be able to weaken them both with my Ice Storm Blast." She deactivated her visor.

"Leave that to me," said Venus, anger burning in her eyes. Suddenly, Pyro and Electro attacked! "Mars Fire, IGNITE!" "Jupiter Thunder, CRASH!" The Scouts scattered, but Mars, burdened with Jupiter, did not escape unscathed. That sent Venus's anger into rage!!

"Venus Crescent Meteor, SWARM!!" A beam of energy shot from her finger into the sky, then became a multitude of rays as it rained down on Pyro and Electro, who were forced to join together to escape the attack. "My turn," Mercury said. She leapt into the air and spun. "Mercury Ice Storm, BLAST!!" She suddenly stopped spinning as she unleashed a swarm of bubbles that broke and quickly filled the air with an icy mist.

"Whatt's happppening to mmme," Pyrectro chattered as it's fire side died down. Suddenly, a silver Nissan Wraith turned the corner and barreled down on Pyrectro. Pyrectro spun around, just in time to have himself get sent rolling over the car and high into the air, landing on the ground with a loud crash. Electro rose from where he landed. Electro, not Pyrectro. His fire side was destroyed.

The Wraith, sear marks on the hood, slid to a stop. Drake got out, and turned to face the monster. "Master and Mistress were unable to stop you it seems. No matter, leaves more fun for me!" The monster crackled with power as it shot up into a street light. Street lamps all around them exploded as the monster raced through their wiring, forcing Drake and the Scouts to duck for cover.

The explosions stopped as he shot from one of the lamps to a Mitsubishi Gallant. With the screech of tortured metal, the car changed into an engine of destruction (no pun intended). The bipedal monstrosity stomped forward, bolts of electricity flying at Moon, Mercury, and Venus, who frantically dodged.

Meanwhile, Drake was forcing some sort of potion down the throats of the unconscious Mars and Jupiter. The two Scouts immediately woke up gasping and gagging. "What is that stuff," choked Jupiter. Drake threw the bottle over his shoulder with a shudder. "You don't want to know." The eyes of Mars and Jupiter became huge when they saw the bottle explode in a cloud of smoke on impact with the ground.

"Now, I think we should be helping your friends," he said, turning to face the possessed car. "Right," Mars shouted as she brought forth an Anti-Evil Charm. "I call upon the power of Mars! Fireballs, CHARGE!!" Throwing the charm at Electro, she spun and brought her forefingers together, creating a small pinwheel of flame. "Mars Firebird…" At the same time, the antenna on Sailor Jupiter's tiara had raised. A massive thunderbolt shot down from the suddenly darkened sky and struck the antenna, creating a brilliant nimbus of electricity around her, as she lept upward and crossed her arms. "You've been copying our attacks, let's show you how it's done! Jupiter Thunder…"

"STRIKE," Mars shouted.

"DRAGON," roared Jupiter.

From Mars's fingertips, the pinwheel shot forward, becoming a roaring ball of flame that merged with the charm and once again transformed into the Firebird. At the same time, Jupiter uncrossed her arms, unleashing a massive thunderbolt that quickly formed into a dragon of electricity. The two entities merged to form a winged dragon of flame and lightening. The creature slammed into Electro's car body, causing the eletical parts to short circuit, and every thing to melt. As the car melted, Electro was revealed, writhing in agony from the destruction of his body and unable to draw power from the electricity because of that.

"Sailor Moon," Drake shouted, "let's finish this!!" "Right," she shouted in return as she drew her Scepter. Making the activating motions with the wand, she intoned, "Moon Scepter…"

At the same time, Drake reversed the Shadow Sword. "Shadow…"

"ELIMINATION," shouted Sailor Moon, releasing a spinning crescent of energy.

"SLASH," shouted Drake, shooting forward so fast that afterimages appeared behind him.

Suddenly, Drake lept as his sword caught up with the crescent of energy. The sword glowed brilliantly as it absorbed the energy, propelling Drake even faster and living a solid stream of light and color behind him. The glowing blade slashed straight through the melting car body and Electro's mid-section. Landing in a crouch on the other side of Electro, Drake spun the sword and sheathed the no longer glowing Katana. As if the guard of the blade striking the sheath were a signal, both the remains of the Gallant and Electro exploded!

The scouts flinched away from the blast as pieces of the Gallant flew all around them. Drake, whose back was to the destroyed monster, didn't move an inch until after the violence of the blast subsided. Then he stood up from his crouch and turned.

"Looks like you win this one, Sailor Scouts," a female voice said. The scouts spun as the images of Tracker and Archeress appeared. "But you won't win forever," Archeress continued. She looked at Drake. "We'll be seeing you again, Drake."

"You can bet on it," yelled the enraged Tracker. And with that, both villains vanished.

With quick strides, Drake walked to the Wraith, got in side, and turned on the engine. Rolling down the window he shouted, "Do you gals need a lift?"

Venus, hearing police sirens, yelled back, "No thanks! Better get out of her before the cops come." Drake nodded, and then said, "Then I WILL be seeing you girls later." With that, the Wraith roared off.

"We better get going, too," said Mars. The others nodded, then lept for the rooftops. As they leapt away, Mercury thought to herself, What did he mean by that?

The next day…

"We were very surprised to see you here, Mister Rodriguez," said Ofukawa, the CEO for Stanton Industries. "If we had known, we'd have had you office ready before you arrived." He bowed in apology. Jonathan Rodriguez said nothing for a while, just looking out the window while the janitorial staff cleaned upthe office that had formerly been shared by the two partners of the corporation.

Mr. Ofukawa was curious as to the bandaged cuts and bruises on Jonathan's face, but decided not to ask. Instead he asked, hesitantly, " Sir… Has there been any word from Mr. Stanton?" Jonathan turned to look at Ofukawa, a shadow seeming to flit across his features.

"No," he replied, the shadow vanishing as if it were never there. He turned back to the window. Mr. Ofukawa bowed again. "If you will not be needing me…" He left the rest unsaid, as he turned to leave. Just as he was about to walk out the door…

"Ofukawa." Ofukawa turned. "Yes, Sir?" "Have the cleaning staff at the Mansion clean the place up. I'll be arriving there tomorrow," Jonathan said. Ofukawa bowed again. "As you wish."

Meanwhile, at the Negaverse base in the Northern Latitudes…

"You were defeated." What Bounty Hunter said was a statement, not a question. "Yes, my lord," Archeress replied. Both she and Tracker were on one knee, Tracker sweating profusely. Hunter walked toward them until he was in front of Archeress. "Archeress, stand." Archeress stood, knowing what was to come. Suddenly, Bounty Hunter's fist blurred forward, slamming into Archeress's gut. At the same time he unleashed a force bolt that propelled her twenty yards away, where she landed in a crumpled heap, unconscious.

Tracker suddenly found it hard to breathe as Hunter's hand encircled Tracker's neck. Lifting him upward so that his feet were dangling in the air, Hunter said, "She at least showed some courage. You on the other hand, need to be taught a few lessons on bravery!" He threw Tracker into the arms of two waiting Guardsmen. "Take him to Arachne's chamber. Perhaps she can teach him not to be so cowardly!" With Tracker's screams for mercy falling on deaf ears as he was dragged away, Hunter returned to Beryl's throne. "Sailor Scouts, you may have won this round, but you will pay dearly for helping the traitor. Most dearly." And his dark laughter echoed throughout the throne room.

fini

Sailor Moon Says:

Serena: All right, Sailor Fans. Sailor Moon: Return of the Negaverse may be finished, but Drake and the Sailor Scouts still have many adventures to go. Watch for Sailor Moon: CE, coming soon. And also, watch for Sailor Scouts International, which will be appearing at around the same time. Bye for now!


End file.
